This invention relates to packaging means for cathode ray tubes and more particularly to improved internal supportive means utilized in the packaging of a plurality of tubes for transportation and storage. In general, cathode ray tubes by the nature of their usual glass construction are inherently fragile structures. Therefore, in storing and transporting quantities of tubes, careful consideration must be directed to achieving appropriately sturdy packaging means. For some time, it has been conventional practice to transport and store pluralities of tubes in packaging means commonly referred to as multipacks or multipack containers. Depending upon the size of the tubes concerned, such containers are normally designed to accommodate six or more tubes per multipack unit. In the fabrication of this type of multiple tube packaging, it has been a common practice to utilize a combination of substantially corrugated paperboard components, such being individually cut, formed, and interlocked to produce an integrated container means. Such construction requires a number of expensive die-cut pieces to provide the container shell along with the several necessary internal structural supportive components, which are individually assembled thereinto, to fabricate a suitable container having the requisite strength to accommodate the plurality of tubes and adequately protect them against damage. It has been common practice to employ several carton members to achieve the required internal structural support for the container. Usually, multipack containers for cathode ray tubes are fabricated entirely of corrugated paperboard which has an inherent shortcoming in that the material is prone to absorb ambient humidity, whereupon the structural rigidity of the container becomes weakened thereby diminishing the supportive protection of the contents therein.
A recent development in multipack construction involves the usage of substantially rigid top and bottom closure members which are formed of expanded plastic material in place of the usual paperboard closure components. It is to this type of improved multipack construction that the improvement of the invention is primarily directed.